Distraction
by Talesoftwofairies
Summary: Levy doesn't know why Gajeel would challenge Natsu to a drinking contest in the middle of the day… but there's a method in his madness.


_Christine's note: My try at some rom-com. This takes place after the Tartarus arc… which means it'll probably be an AU soon. Enjoy!_

_Disclaimer: Fairy Tail and its characters belong to Hiro Mashima._

* * *

><p>Levy sat alone at a guild table, with an open book. Her eyes quickly moved down the page, absorbing the text. It was a new book she picked up yesterday; so far it was really good. The plot had Levy completely engrossed. She was determined to finish this story before nightfall, and there was no force in this world that was going to prevent her-<p>

"OI, SALAMANDER!"

Levy jumped a foot, book flying out of her hands. She fumbled with it, before it bounced off her hand and landed on the floor with a thud. She quickly retrieved it and glared towards the offending voice. Levy spotted the perpetrator halfway across the guild, in the form of Gajeel. He stood in front of Natsu, who was seated at the bar.

"Whaddya want, metal-brain?" Levy heard Natsu growl.

Gajeel grinned and said something that Levy couldn't hear from her distance.

"YOU'RE ON!" Natsu yelled, who jumped out of his seat to point at Gajeel.

Suddenly a crowd of guild members gathered around them, blocking Levy's view. Levy leaned in her seat to try and get a glimpse through the throng of people, but to no use. She huffed and put down her book. There was no use in trying to read now. She stood up and made her way towards the cluster of people. Of the crowd she saw Gray, Juvia, Wendy, Charle, Lily, Lucy and a few others. As Levy got closer she could see what all the commotion was about. Centered in the group were Natsu and Gajeel, seated across from each other at a table. Both of them were currently downing a shot. It was a drinking contest. Levy squeezed her way over to Lucy.

"Hi, Lu-chan."

"Ah, hi, Levy! Are you also here to witness this idiocy?" Lucy sighed.

"I guess so. It's kind of hard to read with all this noise anyways." Levy admitted, shrugging a little.

"Why read when ya can watch me out drink this weaklin'!?" Gajeel grinned, slamming his glass down to the table

"Yea' right, metal head!" Natsu matched his grin, also smacking his cup down.

Levy looked at Lily, who was standing on the other side of the table in his big form. "And you didn't try to talk them out of this, Lily?"

Lily did his trademark smirk with his arms crossed. "Gajeel is a very stubborn man."

"... You just wanted to see this too."

Mirajane, who was standing close by with a bottle, poured a clear liquid into Natsu and Gajeel's glasses. Both Dragon Slayers immediately downed it. The group broke out in cheers again.

"This is truly a man's contest!" Elfman cried, with his arms raised

"Oh, really?" Slurred Cana from a table over, holding a barrel of booze, "Want to play me in this man's contest, Elfman?"

"I…I don't want to die…"

" 's what I thought." Cana took another chug from her barrel.

Gajeel momentarily lost balance as he threw his head back to down the next shot.

"Shit- ah. You… feelin' it yet, salamander?"

"Feeling what? I thought we were drinkin' water this whole time." Natsu grinned, swaying slightly.

"Bullshit, yer already red!"

"Both the Dragon Slayers are buzzed." Giggled Lisanna.

Suddenly Natsu's eyebrows lifted and he looked around. "Waitta minute…. There're… three Dragon Slayers… And there's only uhh… two sittin' here..."

"Laxus isn't here, Natsu!" Happy said from besides him.

"That lightning-bastard don't count!" Snarled Gajeel.

" Wendy!" Natsu roared suddenly. "Pull up a chair! We'll drink for the title of the strongest Dragon Slayer in Fairy Tail!"

"O-oh, I don't think tha-" Wendy started, smiling nervously with her hands lifted.

"ABSOLUTLEY NOT!" Charle cried angrily.

"Dumbass!" Gajeel yelled, pounding his fist on the table. "Ya can't give alcohol to a kid! It kills their uh, brain…dungeons… or somethin"

"Brain dungeons? What's he talking about?" Whispered Elfman.

"I think he means brain cells…" Lisanna muttered back.

"Oh, they're both drunk alright." Gray smirked.

"Pft. Light weights." Cana commented from her table.

"How many shots has this been now?" Levy asked, noticing Natsu and Gajeel's red faces and slurred speech.

"Ninh' or tenth? I 'unno I lost count…" Natsu responded lurching back and forth.

"Natsu that was your fourth shot…" Happy whispered loudly.

Natsu stilled "….oh."

Levy's eyebrows lifted. They really were lightweights.

"HAH! Yer too wasted to count!" Gajeel laughed, pointing at him.

"Shuddut, metal head!" Natsu roared back.

"Make me, pinky!"

"Iron princess!"

"Flame brain!"

"No brows!"

"Hot…uh." Gajeel's face contorted, "…Ass?"

Natsu blinked, and then grinned widely. "Thanks! Ah'm so glad ya noticed!"

The whole group suddenly burst out laughing. Levy giggled behind her hands.

"Fuck! T-that's not what ah meant!" Gajeel sputtered, pushing himself up from the table.

"'s okay, ah know 'm hard to resist," Natsu said, posing with his arms behind his head.

"Ahm gonn' kill ya, ya fuckin' moron!" Gajeel bellowed, arms transforming to a chainsaw.

"But then you won't see his hot ass anymore!" Gray retorted with a laugh, cueing more howls of laughter from everyone.

Juvia, the only one not laughing, suddenly spoke up with a distraught voice. "Wait! Gajeel-kun isn't like that! Juvia knows for a fact!"

The laughter died down as the implications of Juvia's outburst slowly sunk in. Levy felt her stomach drop.

"Wait, _what!_?" Lucy squawked.

"HUH!?" Happy eyes widened to the size of platters.

"How do _you_ know!?" Gray choked out, head whipping around to Juvia.

"Things got hot an' heavy back in Phantom Lord, ehhhhh?" Cana drawled from her table.

"Juvia...Yer not helping." Gajeel sunk back to his seat with his face in his hand.

"No! No-no-no, that's not what Juvia meant!" Juvia face was tomato red as she shook her head and waved her hands wildly. "Juvia meant Gajeel-kun isn't like that, because Gajeel-kun really lik-"

An iron pole abruptly impaled the area where Juvia's chest used to be.

"_Thank yew,_ Juvia, ya can stop now." Gajeel gritted out, arm retreating back to his side.

"Hey! Don't attack your teammate!" Gray shouted.

Juvia pouted, her watery body retreating back to its solid form, "So brash, Gajeel-kun."

"Pour the nex' damn shot a'ready." Gajeel grumbled, holding out his glass.

"_Please._" Lily chided.

"…please."

Levy watched Gajeel with furrowed brows. There was definitely something being left unsaid. So, there wasn't anything between him and Juvia? She was dying to know, but it didn't look like Gajeel was willing to share it anytime soon.

Natsu and Gajeel's glass were once again filled by Mirajane.

"Alright, drink yer friggen' shot." Gajeel grunted, downing his.

"Right!" Natsu grinned, following Gajeel with his glass. The crowd cheered.

"'nother!" Natsu demanded thrusting his glass towards Mira.

"Mmm." Gajeel agreed, also holding up his cup.

Mirajane complied, filling them both to the brim.

"Ta' Fairy Tail!" Natsu cheered; lifting his glass up then guzzling it down. Gajeel mirrored him him.

"Natsu…" Lucy warned.

Natsu brought his glass back down with a _clunk._ He turned to Lucy. "Dun' worry Lucy! 'm gonna win, no problem!" Natsu smiled at her with dazed eyes.

"I'm more concerned about you dying from alcohol poisoning." Lucy said wearily.

"Ah'm not gonna die! I can't die 'till I see Igneel, remember? I'm safe!" He grinned with closed eyes.

Suddenly the whole group went silent. Everyone made confused eye contact with each other.

"Umm, Natsu…you _did _see Igneel…" Lucy began.

"When we fought Zeref's demons…" Gray continued.

"…Remember?" Happy finished.

Natsu's grin was still frozen on his face, unflinching.

A beat passed.

Another beat passed.

"AAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Natsu screamed, hands on his head. "AH'M GONNA DIE!"

Gajeel threw his head back and roared with laughter. Gray and Elfman joined him.

"Calm down, Natsu!" Wendy tried placating the Dragon Slayer.

"Don't waste your time Wendy; he won't listen to reason right now." Charle sighed.

"Q- Quick, Natsu! Think of a new goal!" Happy panicked, flying around Natsu's head.

"But what!?" Natsu yelled, head now on the table.

"Umm, uhhh!" Happy started scanning the room, looking for inspiration. His eyes landed on Lucy. He looked to Natsu and pointed at her. "Make your new goal to marry Lucy!"

"WHAT!?" Shrieked Lucy.

Natsu's head flew back up. "Ah! Nice one, Happy!"

He turned back to Lucy and gave her a thumbs up. "Ah'm not gonna die Lucy! I can't die 'til we get married, 'member?"

"THEN YOU'LL LIVE FOREVER!" Lucy screeched at him, red faced.

"R-really?!" Natsu stared back with wide eyes.

"A wedding would be so much fun!" Mirajane gushed, her hands clasped.

"It sounds manly!" Elfman agreed.

"What kind cake are you guys gonna have?" Wendy asked excitedly.

"We're not getting married!" Lucy screamed.

"Probably a flame-cake, knowing Natsu." Replied Happy, ignoring Lucy.

"I'm gonna be your maid of honor, right Lu-chan?" Levy's asked, eyes twinkling. Lucy's glare told Levy that she was a traitor.

"Not if Erza has anything to say about it. She'll probably fight you for it." Gray speculated, with his hand on his chin.

"AH'LL FIGHT 'ER FOR IT!" Natsu yelled, jumping to his feet.

"You can't be the maid of honor at your own wedding!" Charle cried.

"Salamandar just wan's to wear a dress." Gajeel snickered.

Natsu turned and glared at Gajeel, but then he smiled, "Ah know ya just wann' see this ass en a dress." He stuck his rear end out and puckered his lips.

Gajeel's eye twitched, "That's it!" He roared, grabbing the bottle of alcohol and chucking it at Natsu.

Natsu easily deflected the bottle with a smack of his hand but was unprepared for Gajeel's iron pole. Soon the table was flipped and the two were decking it out. Levy was about to intervene before she did a double take on the flying glass bottle. Levy's face fell into a horrified expression as she noticed its trajectory.

It was heading right for the one and only Titiana of Fairy Tail, who was currently seated at the bar, eating a piece of cake.

Levy was running for cover before the glass even made contact. The others must have noticed too, because Natsu and Gajeel were suddenly fighting alone. A distinct shatter was heard as the glass hit its target. Erza was suddenly very still, as the liquid dripped down her head. Levy sunk deeper under the table as she waited for Erza's reaction.

"NATSUUUU! GAJEEEEEEEEL!"

Gajeel and Natsu froze in mid punch, the color draining out of their faces. Their heads twitched towards the outraged voice. The temperature of the guild lowered by a few degrees, despite the trail of flames that followed Erza's as she slowly walked toward the pair. The panic on Gajeel and Natu's face grew the closer she got.

She stopped about a yard away from the two. Erza's eyes were covered by a shadow as she held up the broken bottle. "Who is responsible for this?"

Immediately Gajeel and Natsu's hands flew up to point at each other.

"IT WAS NATSU!" They both yelled.

Gajeel spun to Natsu. "You idiot, why'd ya say yer own name!?"

"Wait, _ah'm_ Natsu?"

"Jus' how drunk are ya!?"

"OUUUUUUUUUUUU" Erza roared, charging at the two with her armor on and sword drawn. Natsu and Gajeel screamed.

What happened next, Levy couldn't tell because she was too afraid to uncover her eyes, but judging by the yells of pain and sounds of objects breaking, it wasn't pretty. When the noise level fell to a silence, Levy peeked from behind hands to see Erza standing over the bruised and bloodied bodies of Natsu and Gajeel.

…"You're both lightweights." Erza shook her head and strode off, "Idiots."

Levy climbed out from under the table. Other guild mates gradually emerged from their hiding spots as well and gathered around the fallen dragon slayers.

"So, uh…. Who won?" Elfman asked.

"I think Erza did." Lisanna winced.

"Erza-san is scary." Juvia shivered.

"Are they okay?" Wendy asked worriedly.

"I think so…" Lucy answered, "They're still breathing."

Levy stood a little ways behind the others. She grimaced at the sight of the two. Anybody who fights Erza usually ends up in this state. Though, this was more of a one-sided annihilation than a battle. Levy watched as the group started to prod and poke at the Dragon Slayers in an effort to wake them up. Mirajane said something about water and hurried towards the bar.

"He did this for you, you know."

Levy whirled around to see Lily standing next to her, still in his big form.

"Huh?"

Lily nodded towards the unmoving bodies. "The drinking game. Gajeel only challenged Natsu to impress you."

Levy's eyebrows flew up. She felt her stomach do a flip. "I don't understand…"

"He was trying to get your attention earlier, but you didn't notice him at all." Lily grinned.

Levy's eyes widened. While she was reading? She looked at Gajeel's unconscious body. He really did this for her? "So… he thought challenging Natsu and getting beaten up by Erza would do the trick?"

Lily chuckled. "It probably didn't go exactly as he planned."

Levy looked back at Gajeel, who was currently being doused in water by Mirajane. "Idiot." She smiled softly.

"Euuuuughhhhh…" Natsu groaned, sitting up, "Wha' happen'?"

"You got engaged!" Happy supplied happily.

"WHAT!?" Gajeel sat up with a start.

"Not you Gajeel." Lisanna giggled, "You're single and ready to mingle."

"Ughhh." Gajeel put a hand to his head, "Ah got up too fas'"

Lucy frowned and stood over them with her arms folded, "You guys really did it this time."

Gajeel grumbled in response. Natsu was silent.

"Lucy!" Natsu said suddenly, looking at the celestial mage intently.

"W-what?" Lucy stuttered, taken aback at his serious tone.

Natsu pointed a finger to Gajeel. "E's not invited to our weddin'."

Lucy's eye twitched. Then rage took over her features. She closed her eyes slowly, her hands balled into fists and she clenched her teeth tightly. She took in a breath, ready to yell something at the oblivious Dragon Slayer… but then she let all the air out and relaxed her shoulders.

"Alright, Natsu." She sighed, "He's not invited."

"_Hey!_" Gajeel said indignantly.

"C'mon, let's get you up." Lucy bent down, slung Natsu's arm over her shoulder and then stood up with him. Together they hobbled away, with Happy following them overhead.

"An' can we ge' a flame cake?" Natsu asked hopefully, voice fading as they got further away.

"Whatever you want, Natsu." Levy heard Lucy say tiredly.

The rest of the group was still gathered around Gajeel. Some of them started shuffling a bit.

"Well. This was disappointing." Gray said, arms crossed. "I'm outta here." He turned and walked off.

"This was not as manly as I hoped it would be…" Elfman said dejectedly, "See ya." He lifted a hand and trudged away too. Lisanna waved before following after her brother.

"I should get back to the bar. It was fun while it lasted!" Mirajane smiled before heading off.

"I hope you'll feel better soon, Gajeel!" Wendy smiled sympathetically before slipping away with Charle.

Juvia made her way to follow Gray, but then she paused. She turned to Gajeel, "You'll do better next time, Gajeel-kun!" Juvia smiled hopefully and then hurried after Gray.

"Mmm." Gajeel grunted, still sitting on the ground.

Lily and Levy looked towards Cana expectantly, who was still at her table. She frowned.

"Wha? I ain't leavin'. My barrel's here."

The two of them sighed. Levy glanced back towards her table. She wondered if she should also go. Maybe Gajeel would rather be alone right now. Then Lily met her eyes and smiled reassuringly, as if reading her thoughts. He nodded towards Gajeel. Together they walked up to the dragon slayer.

"How do you feel?" Lily asked.

"Like shit." Gajeel answered.

Lily laughed and bent down to help him up, similarly to how Lucy did. He walked him over to the table and sat him down. Lily inspected his bloodied face.

"I'll get some bandages" He nodded, then turned to Levy with a grin, "Make sure he doesn't hurt himself while I'm gone, please."

With that, he turned and walked away. Levy eyed his back suspiciously. She had a feeling he left them alone on purpose. When did Lily get so sneaky? She looked back at Gajeel. He was leaning on the edge of the table, watching her. Levy plopped herself down next to him and mimicked his position.

"You know…" She started, looking straight ahead, "You could have just tapped me on the shoulder."

Gajeel threw his head back and smacked his face with a groan, "Goddammit, Lily."

Levy laughed, "Don't blame your cat for what you were too chicken to do!"

Gajeel's hand still covered his eyes, "I was't chicken… I jus' figured ya would go right back to readin'."

"I would have put it down for you." Levy replied almost immediately. Then she winced. That came out sounding a bit too eager.

Gajeel was silent. He put his hand down slowly, still looking up to the ceiling.

"Oh." He said.

Levy went back to looking straight ahead, her face heating up. She had no idea what to say next. The air between them seemed awkward now. Probably because of her. She must have come off as too strong. She wrangled her dress nervously as the silence dragged on. Gajeel coughed slightly.

Lily came into view with a first aid kit, "Found some bandages. What'd I miss?"

"Yer a worse gossip than salamander's cat, Lil" Gajeel growled out.

"What can I say, sometimes my tongue slips." Lily replied, sounding completely unapologetic. He put the kit down on the table and opened it up, taking out some bandages.

Levy felt unsure what to do as Lily started dressing Gajeel's wounds. She still felt awkward from their conversation. After a moment she got up, gesturing back to her table, "Oh, uh, I don't want to get in the way here, I'll just get back to my book."

"Ah, I brought your book too." Lily said, pulling it out from his belt and offering it to her. "You can read here. We don't mind the company, right Gajeel?"

Gajeel looked up and met Levy's eyes. Levy fidgeted slightly under his intense gaze.

"Nah." He grunted, "I don't mind."

Levy smiled slowly as she took the book from Lily's hand. She climbed back into the table and sat next to Gajeel. She found where she left off and started scanning the words, though none of them registered with her. Her thoughts were too preoccupied by the man sitting next to her. He was a big distraction, with his body being so close, and his arm accidentally brushing up against hers, but…

It was a distraction she'd welcomed any day.


End file.
